Rouda 1

Ashley Rouda

Ms. Rankus

English 11

21 December 2015

Summary

Exposition: In the book, The Last Song, the protagonist is Ronnie. Her real name is

Veronica, she currently lives in New York. She is not what you would call a role model, if

anything she is very rebellious. Just recently she got caught shop lifting, she is in the wrong

group of friends, she's out every night doing drugs and drinking alcohol. Kim says, to Steve, I

dont know. She sighed. And I dont think she does, either. Shes in this dark, moody phase.

She ignores her curfew, and half the time I cant get more than a Whatever when I try to talk to

her. I try to write it off as typical teenager stuff, because I remember what it was like...but

(Sparks 18) She lives with her mother Kim, and her little brother Jonah. Her father lives down in

a small southern beach town, he has written and called her over a dozen times in the past three

years, and she has yet to answer to one of them because to her knowledge he had an affair. But

what she doesnt know yet is her mother is the one that did. When she got the news that she

had to go spend the entire summer hours away at a little southern beach town with her father

Steve and brother Jonah, mad was an understatement.

Rising Action: Throughout the story, Ronnie continues to distance herself from her dad.

He doesnt understand that she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. He continues to play

the piano constantly, he used to teach Ronnie when she was really little and she got extremely

good at it, until one day she stopped because she hated the fact that playing the piano

reminded her of her dad. "What's he going to do?" This time, Ronnie answered. "He won't do

anything. All he ever cared about was the piano."

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Ronnie hated the piano and swore she'd never play it again, a decision even some of

her oldest friends thought was strange." (Sparks 22)

She even got a full scholarship to attend the school Juilliard but she has not answered

them yet because she is unsure of what to do. Jonah on the other hand Jonah loved his father,

"Dad!"

"Jonah!" Steve shouted back as he crossed the rocky sand that constituted his yard.

When Jonah jumped into his arms, it was all he could do to remain upright.

"You've gotten so big", he said"

(Sparks 15) Day after day Ronnie leaves and continues to try to make some new friends. She

meets a girl they call by the name of Blaze. Blaze isnt a very good friend for Ronnie. Blaze

basically lives with her older boyfriend, who doesnt even have a job except doing fireball

concerts. Which is awfully dangerous, a fireball is something they light on fire and throw around

as fast as they can to make the show more interesting and earn more money.

Blaze is in love with this boy though, she loves everything about him. One day Ronnie

decided to hang out with them two together, and he was extremely drunk. He hung on her like a

newborn baby to a mother. Of course Ronnie was not interested and left, but Blaze took it as

her flirting. The next day, Ronnie ran into Blaze at the CD store. She wanted to apologize for

everything but Blaze didnt care and took off running, and as Ronnie took off after her the

alarms went off. They searched her bag and found Ronnie had stole something, again. They

were going to press charges. When Steve, Ronnies dad, arrived to come pick her up, she

swears she did not steal anything and that Blaze slipped it all into her bag. Oddly enough, even

though he hadnt talked to his daughter in three years, he believed her. Which was such a relief,

but that doesnt mean that she isnt going to get charges pressed against her.

Days pass, and slowly she and her dad seem to be getting closer, Considering the fact

that he believed and trusted her. She liked that. They made breakfast together every morning,

and ate dinner together in the evenings. But throughout the day they went off and did their
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separate things. Ronnie's dad grew up in this town and just recently the church he basically

grew up in burned down. He didnt know how other way he could repay Pastor Harris other than

recreating a beautiful glass stained window for the new church. Steve and Jonah spent every

day in the workshop working hard at creating this window. As Ronnie just continued to do her

own thing.

Ronnie kept making new friends. This time she met a guy, not a guy shed ever see

herself with. She was more into the type of guy that would take her to a party, had tattoos, and

was a bad influence. Not someone who had a job, cared about her, was somewhat a good boy.

Until she met Will, Will volunteered at the aquarium, along with working for his dad at a garage.

Oddly enough, Ronnie loved animals, which was part of the reason she fell for Will considering

there was a bunch of sea turtle eggs behind her house that needed proper protection so that the

racoons wouldnt be able to get to them. Of course he helped with that and got them all fixed up

so nothing would ever hurt them. But talking to Will also came with a price, because his ex,

Ashley, would tell Ronnie all these lies, and sometimes Ronnie would let the lies get to her,

Oh, hey, he said, lowering his hand. Youre here. For a second there-

She slammed the door, only to hear him immediately begin knocking again, his voice

pleading.

Cmon, Ronnie! Wait! I just want to know what happened! Whyd you leave?

Go away! she shouted back. (Sparks 52) (Chapter 19)

She still fell for Will anyways, especially after he had taken her fishing, took her out on multiple

dates, and came over to eat dinner with her family. He was the perfect guy for her, even though

he could make her mad, not only her but her dad, Steve could see it too.

Soon enough Steve, Will, Ronnie, and Jonah hung out everyday. They made special

meals every night since Ronnie is a vegetarian. But they all enjoyed it. Weeks passed, Steve

stopped playing the piano so much since it bothered Ronnie. Ronnie started to notice that her

father seemed to look weaker, didnt eat as much, read his bible more and more. Late one night
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after watching the sea turtles hatch with all of them, right behind her house. Steve started

coughing up an excessive amount of blood and was rushed to the emergency room. Ronnie

couldnt even begin to think what could be wrong with her father. He called her in separately

after he was all hooked up to IVs and had Will take Jonah down to the cafeteria. He informed

Ronnie that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and yes it was terminal. Not only that, but

he had known since January.

Out of all the thoughts racing through Ronnies head. She couldnt understand how he

didnt tell her. She expressed how mad she was, but Ronnies dad knew it wasnt anger. It was

all the sadness built up inside her. She loved her father, all she wanted is more time. Time they

didnt have, doctors said he wouldnt live till to see Christmas. She was heartbroken, She

thought to herself if she wouldnt have been so stubborn she wouldnt have wasted three years

ignoring him, she wouldnt have wasted half of the summer acting like she didnt even know him.

She's lost for words, she's lost just thinking about her father not being in her life anymore. But

she knew she had to make the best of it.

Telling Jonah was the last thing on his to do list, but it had to be done. It was the most

heartbreaking thing as Ronnie sat in the hall listening to her brother sob at her father's bedside.

Kim. their mother had to be called. She already knew the news, she had known since January

she was one of the first people to find out, other than Pastor Harris. Which was also time for

Ronnie to figure out the truth, it had been Kim that had the affair and that she had been mad at

her father this whole time for nothing. So that just added to the reasons why she wanted to stay

by her father for as long as he needed her. She would be there, Jonah wasnt too happy with the

fact that he couldnt stay too. But he understood he had school, and Steve did not want to have

his son watch him die.

Ronnie had made it her and Wills obligation to finish the church window for her

father.Which surprisingly enough, they did. Ronnie kept telling her father, just wait a little longer,

just hold on a little longer. Which he did. But Pastor Harris informed her that there still wasnt
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enough money in the budget to be able to finish recreating the church. Until one day, there was

a knock at the door. It was Blaze. Ronnie was shocked. Blaze came to inform her that her now

ex boyfriend was the one that caught the church on fire. From one of his fireballs. She had told

the police, and by admitting to it being her ex boyfriend the charges were dropped for Ronnie

because she also told the police it was her that slipped the items into Ronnie's bag. Ronnie was

amazed, Blaze said she was sorry for everything, including her dad.

The church could now be rebuilt, and away it did. Finally it was done. Ronnie walked her

dad down to see it in person, which by this time he had lost over half of his body weight. She

knew he only had a few days. He was amazed, he loved the window. He was so proud of his

daughter. He loved his daughter more than anything.

She dreaded this day, but it was here. Her father had passed.
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Connection

Connection One: One of my best connections with this book would be while

growing up, I wasnt always that close with my cousin Melissa. Just because of the age

difference. But I got some bad news that she was diagnosed with cancer. Not the same cancer

as Ronnie's dad, Steve. But it was terminal too. It didnt make it any better that i never took

advantage of all the time we could have spent together. It wasnt fair, I wanted more time. I

wanted to make up for lost time, it wasnt fair she still had so much life to live. Just like Ronnie

the news was heartbreaking. Especially having to sit by bedside watching her slowly get weaker

and weaker. The author tells us that, "His father's death six years ago had changed him, and

since the funeral, he'd felt though he'd been on a count-down of sorts." ( Sparks 10) Melissa's

death definitely changed not only me, but my entire family's life.

Connection Two: Another connection to this book would be, Ronnie is an animal

lover. I love all animals, from giraffes to sharks. She showed me that by staying outside with the

turtles so that they wouldnt get eaten by a racoon. I know if i was in that situation I would rather

help the animal than sleep comfortably in my bed, which is something Ronnie obviously knows

a lot about. Also when we adopted my dog, we didnt adopt her from Petco or Petsmart, we got

her from the Humane Society. Which seems to be something Ronnie would do.

Connection Three: Ronnie and Jonahs relationship reminds me a lot of my sister

Jessica, and mine relationship. We may not talk everyday since she goes to college in Montana.

But, she knows that if she ever needs anything Im a phone call or text away. I may not show
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her, but I do love her to death, and Im the only one allowed to yell at her and fight with her.

Cause shes my sister. Which is a lot like Jonah and Ronnies relationship considering Ronnie

picks on him everyday, hates on him, acts like she doesnt love him. But, in the end we all know

she would do absolutely anything for him, because that's her little brother. During all my hard

times I looked at my sister for her advice, just like Jonah and Ronnie both looked for each other

and started appreciating each other more when their father was sick all the way up to his death.

Connection Four : The way Ronnie and Will fall in love is the way I want too. I just think it

is so romantic how he takes her out on all these inexpensive dates such as fishing and what

not. He really brings out the best in her and shows her how to have a good time. He is so

respectful, he comes from a rich family but he doesnt really show that off, money isnt as

important to him as you would think. He is everything a girl would look for in a guy. He is very

athletic, smart, funny, and charming. Will is the type of boy any girl would love to bring home to

her family, just like Ronnie did, and her dad Steve and brother Jonah fell in love too.

Connection Five: My last connection to the story would be Kim and Ronnie's

relationship. Kim is Ronnies mother. Just like any other family, most of the time a child doesnt

get along with their mother or father. Sometimes my dad and I get along, and sometimes we

dont I think it is because I live two hours away. We just dont see eye to eye sometimes, he

hates that i spend so much time with my friends. Just like Kim with Ronnie. Ronnies out every

night getting in trouble and it makes her mom upset. Kim feels like she doesnt care, but Ronnie

does. She is just being that rebellious teen, not always looking for trouble but always finding

herself in it.
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Visuals:

Visual One: Picture of New York City. Works Cited down below.

One of the things I noticed is where Ronnie comes from and the reason she is the way

she is. Im not saying that New Yorkers have a bad reputation, its just that living in the city and

being exposed to new people everyday is a lot different than living in a small southern beach

town. I also can see Ronnie running the streets and going to clubs with his friends and what not

during the nights. Another reason why i choose the city as a visual was because, she began to

fall in love with everything about a small town. From knowing all of your neighbors to, having

limited things to do, etc.

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Visual Two: Picture of a man sick in a hospital bed. Works Cited below.

I choose this picture of a man lying sick in a hospital bed. It is what I visualized

Steve looking like, when he was dying from Stomach Cancer. All he could do was lay in a

hospital bed and for over a quarter of the book that is all that he did. I also visualize him holding

his hand over his face like that considering the fact that he coughed up blood a lot. He also

looked sick, and had lost a lot of weight. This guy looks to appear extremely sick, maybe from

his sickness.
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Visual Three:

I chose this picture of turtle eggs with caution tape around it because, it visualizes what

Will did for Ronnie. Ronnie spent a couple of nights sleeping outside in the dangers of a racoon

coming to either attack her, or eat the turtle eggs before they hatched. Which was not what she

had planned. Will, who worked at the local aquarium was astonished at how Ronnie actually

would take a cold, scary night to keep these turtles safe. Over a night of lying comfortably in her

bed safe and warm. He fixed the whole thing all up made it foolproof so that any racoon couldnt

get in there. That was another reason why she fell in love with Will, was because he seemed to

take an interest in keeping these turtles safe, almost as much as she did. Also mentioned was

their conversation, Actually, I came here because I felt bad about the cage, and I didnt want
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you to be out here alone. Like I said earlier, its a public beach and you never know who might

come walking up.

Like you?

Its not me you should be worried about. There are bad people everywhere. Even here.

And let me guess. Youd protect me, right?

If it came down to that, Id protect you in a heartbeat. (Sparks 48) (Chapter 16)

That is just another reason why this is a good visual is because not only is he concerned

for the turtles, he is worried about her too.

Visual Four:

I chose this picture for another visual. Ronnie is the red figure and all the others

are everyone else. She sticks out because she doesnt like being like everyone else.

She wears mostly all black, has purple streaks in her hair, and wears jeans. Even though

it is summer, it's extremely hot and she is by the beach. I chose this as a visual because
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standing out isnt always a bad thing, which is what she showed me in this book. Ronnie

wasnt Wills type either but since she was different it got him to notice her. Who says

being different is a bad thing?

Visual Five:
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For my last visual, I chose a beautiful church stained glass window. I chose it

because of the countless hours, and days Jonah and his father Steve spent on recreating one

for Pastor Harris. It was a major part of the book, also helped Jonah and Steve bond. Not only

them but Ronnie, Will, and Jonah towards the end since they made it their prerogative to finish it

before their father passed. Which they accomplished.

Review: My honest review on this book, would be that it is absolutely outstanding and

eye opening. You never really realize how much time you have with someone until they are

gone and you cannot do anything about it. Im personally not too much into reading, but when I

picked up this book I couldnt put it down. I thought it was going to be a love story,and it

definitely took a twist. I think being that since I could make so many connections with it, it helped

me relate to it better.. It was very interesting and had a lot of hidden meanings in it. For

example, in the beginning we had no idea why Ronnies father left her and her family, but it sure

did hurt her. We didnt find out the real reason why he left them till nearly the end of the book. It

was when he was laying on his deathbed, that she found out the truth and that she shouldnt

have been mad at her father. He actually never did anything wrong, and it was her mother who

had the affair. It was one of those books where you could not miss a page, because if you did

you would most likely miss out on a detail you needed to help you understand the story. I really

enjoyed this story, I already recommended it to my mother, and I would recommend it to anyone

that is interested in love, drama, sadness, and a twist.

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Works Cited:

"Bing." Church Stain Glass Window. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

Bing.Man Sick in Hospital Bed. Web7. Jan. 2016.

"Bing." Turtle Eggs by a B. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

"Bing." Someone Standing out White. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

Sparks, Nicholas. The Last Song. New York: Grand Central Publishing, January 1st 2009.

scuba diver exploring underwater